Posts Tagged ‘sweater’

I am in love with her and of course I wish to share her with the entire world! So with the help of a cadre of angels also known as my beloved testers, I am preparing a pattern. And the pattern’s name is Intertidal.

This design is about tides and the moon and how things are pulled off center in the most perfect way. It is about being in the middle of all the crazy cosmic influences. It is, like Chelsea Morning, designed to showcase an interesting color pairing.

In case I have not said it enough, I adore Isager Spinni. Spinni is like my yarn BFF, all rough and scratchy but at the same time lofty and warm and cozy and oh the colors. You’d think I was being paid, the way I rave about Spinni, but no, I give Spinni my love for free.

I was thinking the other day, Why do I like to design with color blocks? I believe it has to do with how I shop for yarn. I don’t appreciate most colors alone. They just don’t grab me that way. I only like blacks and greys alone. Colors, for me, need other colors to play with. Contrasts in temperature and brightness and saturation and hue get me thinking and feeling and wanting to experiment. And that leads to impulse yarn purchases. Oh, yes.

I’m very pleased to announce that Chelsea Morning is – at long last – officially published! The pattern may be purchased on Ravelry here, or also here, or even by clicking this little button:

One of my testers asked me about color recommendations for Chelsea Morning, and it got me thinking. About what makes me like a color, what makes me like two colors together, and color in general.

Something that excites me about Chelsea Morning is that it allows knitters to play freely with color sense. Chelsea Morning has a simple shape that features a block of color. To work, color blocks (unlike stripes or fair isle) do not require two very different colors, or colors with very different values (lightness / darkness). Color blocks can use similar colors that play upon each others’ subtle differences. Weird colors – just like weird people! – will come alive when placed next to a good partner. And uncolorful colors – like two greys, for example – can become dynamic off-greys when placed together, each highlighting the other’s temperature and undertones. There is a whole dialectic of color to explore, and that just makes me feel free.

Some examples of color freedom –

Mark Rothko.

Mark Rothko.

“Rain (Study)”, Agnes Martin.

“Praise”, Agnes Martin.

Also Agnes Martin. I don’t know what it’s called.

I’ve got multiple knitting projects on my needles and a donation update to write, but I’m afraid these things will have to wait until later. :-)